The whole hip-hop scene has substantially changed, Ryan Somers from Bayfield says the crafty genre usually involving witty words as expression corresponds much differently than when he had a publishing role in the music.

“I listen to new rappers and I don’t get it, it’s just not for me,” stated Somers, 41, who is also known as MC Fritz tha Cat Jan.19 adding that the lyrical content is less the focus now while the younger generation is more captivated by an image and a catchy beat.

“I’ll go on Facebook and ask people to show me some new rap, a bunch will show me a link to YouTube, I click on it, and I never like any of them.”

The new rap music hitting the shelves or downloads on the Internet packs a sound unlike the early 90s.

During that era Somers spent countless hours in Toronto distributing and promoting his underground magazine titled In Search of Divine Styler.

Recognized in those days as the only magazine of its kind in the nation, the free publication was in commission from 1996-1999.

The magazine name itself originated from one of Somers’ favourite underground rappers-Divine Styler- who began his career alongside celebrity rapper Ice-T, but subsequently went into a lull for a few years.

“He disappeared from the scene, I don’t’ know where the idea came from to name the magazine after him,” he said. “I just thought it was kind of cool.”

The first magazine published roughly 100 copies and by the final issues Somers said they were creating 10,000; the buzz eventually landed in the hands of the absent rapper.

An ex-wife of Divine Styler contacted Somers and before he knew it, the two were meeting in Canada.

It was a dream come true for the hip-hop head.

“He ended up coming up to Canada that summer, doing a few shows with us in London and Toronto, and played us new music he was working on,” stated Somers.

The two have kept in close contact ever since and these are just some of the “surreal” events that happened in the short stint. It’s believed that this inspired Divine Styler to write and record music again.

Somers decided to write a book on his experience, it’s called “In Search of . . . Divine Styler,” according to the Globe and Mail, it’s a bestseller.

These are just a select few of the many fascinating events tied to the magazine.

Distributed across North America, the focus of the material involved was rather goofy and not really serious unlike most hip-hop publications–this attracted several people while rubbing others the wrong way.

The articles ranged from trying to contact gangster rap icon Eazy-E through a Ouija board, writing about rappers having phone sex to heated topics such as black skinheads.

Somers refers to this as “taking the piss.”

It all originated with a cut and paste type of publication leading Somers to many positions, most notably as the writer of a long-lasting rap column for Vice magazine.

Currently Somers is working at a lumberyard and regulating social media sites for several companies on the side.